Extension of the Sala Cuna
The annex of the Sala Cuna is in full swing. Our Swiss volunteer Walter Pegorari, who stays with us from December to the end of February, was responsible for the fast building of the wall, so that the new children can move in until the end of February.
Visit of the "grandparents"
Our "grandparents" Luisa and Pauli Scarpatetti visited us at the beginning of January. They quickly got used to the Honduran lifestyle and were integrated immediately. Pauli was a big idol mainly for the older boys, and everybody was highly impressed by his work, will to work, strength, precision and endurance. For every children’s room, he built a big wardrobe and a shoe rack, so that every child can now keep their clothes in their room. Luisa helped everywhere; she changed about 30 school clothes' zippers, wrote the children's names on all the school books, looked after the smallest of ou children and played for hours.
All the children and the staff were really sad that they had to go back to Switzerland after three weeks. At the surprise party that took place before they left, which was organized by the kids, we even had some tears because nobody wanted them to leave.
Container
At the beginning of December, a Container was loaded in Cunter. Packed with different things, it was shipped to Honduras for free, through the kindness of Gerard van Kesteren and Kühne und Nagel. Thanks to all the new things, our children’s home was hardly recognisable anymore. We have new school banks from the primary school in Celerina, USM-tables, Kühne& Nagel-laptops, couches, wardrobes, boxes filled with clothes, a bicycle, toys, stuffed animals, sheets, blankets, school material, school bags, a scaffold, tools, power tools, a chain saw etc. Our children's home looks brand new and everybody is beyond happy. Thanks a lot to all the donors!!!
An own house for the older boys
We set high value on the independence of our children, so that we gave the older boys the opportunity to live alone in a two-roomed house in the area where we live. They are, of course, spervised and accompanied by us and they have to fulfil their little chores.
Fish farm
A group of the protestant church Gran Commision from San Pedro Sula established a fish farm with cichlids for us. In La Lima they had an artificial lake where they raised 700 cichlids. On January 15th, our children had the chance to take part in the butchering of the fish. They were allowed to take about 100 cichlids home, which were, indeed, delicious. The other fish were sold and the profit was used to buy small fish and fish food, so that the project can continue.
Recovery
We usually do something on Sundays to avoid that the children feel locked in. This month, we walked up to the Coca Cola sign, visited a national soccer game and were invited to go swimming. Everybody enjoys those special events and the children behave accordingly well, so that they can participate. Cancelling an excursion is the only “big” punishment that we apply for bad behaviour of the children.